Antenna housing



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I ANTENNA HOUSING Filed Sept. 19. 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BRUNO ZUCCON/ BY ,Mwz mm W ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 B. zuccom 3,482,253

ANTENNA HOUSING Filed Sept. 19, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 *32 44 O f 30 J '8 as 0 so 22 l 52 "a; 0 5o 32 44 2o 24 48 gag l2ll|l||l||a2 F/G. 5.

IN VEN TOR. a/w/vo zuccd/v/ 1%, MAM am W ATTORNEYS United States Patent O US. Cl. 343-834 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An antenna housing including a mounting plate adapted to be mast mounted in either of two perpendicular orientatlons. The plate supports an'antenna secured so that for one orientation, the antenna is aligned for reception of horizontally polarized radiation; and for the other orientation, it is aligned for reception of vertically polarized radiation. In the illustrated example, the antenna is a dipole with directors oriented into the direction of the travelling radiation to be received and normal to the mounting plate. In this form, the mounting plate is madeof conductive material so that it serves notonly to mount the antenna and housing, but also as an electrical reflector element for the antenna. The mounting plate is provided with drains for both vertical and horizontal mountings. A dielectric cover consisting of an elongate shell closed at one end and having interior dimensions sutficient to accommodate the antenna is sealed and secured to the mounting plate and about the antenna. The shell is constructed with opposed symmetrical integrally joined sections formed of planar walls. Each section is formed in a shape resembling a curb roof.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to a weatherproof housing for supporting and protecting an antenna. Antennas have been provided with-dielectric housings or radomes which have been used for enclosing and .weatherproofing. Such housings have been subject to several problems including instability under wind loads, difiiculties in providing adequate support for both the antenna and housing, time consuming assembly and installation procedures, and restrictions on the mounting and polarization orientation of the antenna. Also, such housings have been subject to the exterior accumulation of ice and snow and to interior condensation, each-of which adversely affects the electrical performance of the antenna. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved antenna housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna housing which will overcome the above mentioned limitations and disadvantages.-

Another object of the invention is to provide an antenna housing of the above character including a support for a dielectric cover having a structural shape which resists wind loads and presents minimum geometrical surfaces for the accumulation of ice and snow, and having a ice In accordance with the above objects there is provided a housing including a mounting plate for supporting an antenna and an elongate dielectric shell free of conductive material closed at one end and open at the other end. Means are provided for connecting the open end of the shell to the mounting plate so thatthe plate and shell form a sea-led enclosure about the antenna. The shell is formed in a prismatic shape having lateral planar walls integrally joinedtogether along all edges. Preferably, the shell is oblong in transverse cross section and is formed of opposed symmetrical sections each having the form of a curb roof. Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an antenna housing constructed according to the invention, and showing the same mounted for reception of horizontally polarized radiation.

FIGURE 2 is another view in perspective of the antenna housing of FIGURE 1 taken from the rear.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of the antenna housing of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of the antenna housing of the invention taken along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of the antennta housing taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 isa front elevational view of the antenna housing of the invention showing the same mounted for receiving vertically polarized radiation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGURES 1 through 6, there is shown an antenna 10 supported within an antenna housing 11 constructed according to the invention and mounted to a mast 12 for the reception of horizontally polarized radiation. The antenna housing 11 generally consists of a mounting plate 14 and a dielectric cover or shell 16 which are fastened together to form a sealed enclosure.

Mounting plate 14 is made of a generally planar aluminum casting having an outline shape generally dictated by the shape of the transverse dimensions of the shell 16.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the back face of plate 14 is provided with vertical and horizontal raised ridges 18, 20 which intersect at approximately the middle of the plate to form a raised circular ridge 22. A passageway 24 is formed through the plate and within the circular ridge 22 for bringing a transmission line 26 through the plate.

Horizontal and vertical mounting standoffs 28, 30 are integrally cast onto ears 32, 34 formed at each side of the plate. Each of the standotfs 28, 30 is provided with a semicylindrical serrated recess for receiving mast 12. Oneside of each standoff is supported by the end ridges 18 and 20 and the other side is supported by gussets 38. The plate 14 is mounted to the mast with U-bolts 40 and nuts 42 passed about the mast 12 and secured through holes 44 formed through the ears 32, 34 on each side of the standoffs.

Drain passages 46, 48 are formed in the plate on two adjacent ones of cars 32, 34 (FIGURES 2 and 4), the upper one of which is normally closed by screw 50 and washer 52.

Antenna 10 is supported to the front side of mounting plate 14 and consists, for example, of a substantially 7 conventional folded dipole 54 with directors 56 supported -,-,end and adaptedto. be secured}. to the. mounting plate to form a completely sealed-and enclosed housing. The shell ischaracterized by planar walls connected integrally tog ther to form a generally prismatic conformation. More particularly, the shell is formed of upper and lower sections 62, 64 as referenced to an'imaginary reference plane 66. Sections 62, 64 are symmetrically shaped and integrally joined to each other in opposed relation.

Each of sections 62, 64 is formed of flat walls consisting of upper segments '68, 70 and 72, 74 connected into a shape resembling a curb roofin which walls 72, 74 have a greater slope with respect to the reference plane 66 than walls 68, 70. For a dipole antenna having a substantial laterial extent in only one dimension, walls 68, 70 are made wider than walls 72, 74 lower so that the cover is oblong in transverse cross section to accommodate the lateraldimension of the antenna without becoming unduly large in the other dimensions, The front wall 76 of the cover projects outwardly and joins its counterpart in the other section to form a V-shaped configuration. The edge joining walls 68, 70 of each of the sections is provided with a semi-cylindrical raised ridge 78 therealong which fits over a support bar 80.

f Support bar 80 is formed in a U-shape and is secured at its ends to the mounting plate 14, extending outwardly from the plate so that the bottom 82 of the U intersects the end 84 of the antenna support bar and is fastened thereto as with a screw 86. In this way, the antenna is firmly and rigidly supported to the plate without relying on the cantilver strength of bar 58. An outwardly extending flange 90 is formed about the open end of the shell as shown in FIGURE 5. The flange is secured together with a suitable flexible gasket 91 to the plate with a plurality of bolts 92 to complete the assembly of the housing.

Shell 16 is formed .of a nonconductive dielectric material having good electrical properties at the frequency of operation. For example, in the UHF television band, a fiberglass reinforced polyester resin construction has been found suitable. This construction is realized by a lay up technique utilizing the inside of a smoothly finished mold. A resin gell coat is laid down inside the mold to form a first layer over which is laid a laminated fiberglass reinforcing mat which is then sprayed up to the desired thickness with polyester resin (including suitable curing initiator). After curing and removal from the mold, the shell presents a smooth exterior surface'which rexluces wind loading.

The antenna housing just described can be installed either for reception of horizontally polarized radiation as shown in FIGURE 1, or can be mounted for the reception of vertically polarized radiation as shown in FIG- URE 7. In this connection, the repositioning is quite simple, requiring only the relocation of the U-bolts and nuts to the standoifs 34 and the removal of the drain screw 50 from the lower ear 34 and installation of the samein the drain of some of the cars 32. The completed installation for vertical polarization is'shown in FIGURE 6.

"When installed, the antenna housing of the invention is found to possess numerous features and advantages in adequately protecting and housing an antenna. Thus, the arms of U-shaped support member 80 are suificiently spaced to'extend the full distance between the semicircular ridges 7t] of the sections 62 and 64. In this way, the alignment of the shell'in assembling the cover to the plate is facilitated since the shell is guided by the ridges slidin 4 along the bar 80. When installed and tightened up, the support bar remains in contact with the inside of the ridges and thereby serves to support the shell against changes in position due to wind loading and the like. Because of the cur-b roof type of design utilizing planar Walls, the effects of wind loading are substantially reduced in the present construction. Thus, for the mountingas shown in FIGURE 1, side winds are presented with a minimum surface "area due to the oblong cross section of'the housing. Furthermore, the strains induced by wind loading are taken up by slight deformations in the housing as by" bending of adjacent ,walls about their connecting edges and are further resisted by the action of the U-shaped support bar, although the latter is not absolutely necessary. In general, the housing presents a minimum, cross sectional area for-the type of antennav involved because not only due to its shape but due also to its reduced length because of the employment of the mounting plate 14 as the reflector element for the antenna, By adding the support member to support the broader walls 68, 70, there is additional secured an advantage of greater support when the antenna is mounted for vertical polarization as shown in FIGURE 7 since the rigidity isincreased by the support bar. The provision of alternate drains for either mounting of the antenna provides for exceptionally convenient removal of interior moisture without the need for special drain tubes and the.

like. When installed on a mast, the rear of plate 14 is designed to prevent ice and snow collection since there are a minimum of semi-closed regions between the mast and the plate.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many modifications and adaptations of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly; the descriptions and disclosure herein are to be taken as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation thereon.

I claim:

1. An antenna housing comprising a mounting plate for supporting an antenna, an elongate dielectric shell free of conductive material, said shell being closed at one end and open at the other end, means for connecting the open end of the shell to the mounting plate so that the plate and shell form a sealed enclosure about an antenna, such shell being formed in a prismatic shape having lateral planar walls integrally joined together along all edges, and said shell being oblong in transverse cross section and formed of opposed symmetrical sections each having the form of a curb roof.

2. An antenna housing comprising a mounting platefor supporting an antenna, an elongate dielectric shell free of conductive material, said shell being closed at one end and open at the other end, means for connecting the open end of the shell to the mounting plate so that the plate and shell form a sealed enclosure about the antenna, such shell being formed in a prismatic shape having lateral planar walls integrally joined together along all edges, a U-shaped support bar, the ends of said support bar being connected to said mounting plate and the opposite closed end of said bar adapted to be connected to the outer end of an antenna tofsupp'ort the same within said shell.

3. An antenna housing as in claim 1 adapted to be used with an antenna of the type having a reflector spaced apart from an active element and wherein said mounting plate is made of conductive material and positioned to serve as a reflective element for said active element."

4. An antenna housing as in claim 2 in'which said U- shaped support bar has legs which are constructed and positioned to abut along the inside of the housing'walls to thereby serve as additional support therefor.

5. An antenna housing as in claim 2 in which the rear ,of said mounting plate. is provided with two pairs of mounting standoffs generally defining mounting axis and a ap d o be used in connec ing he h using o a ast,

said standolfs being vertically and horizontally disposed so that said housing can be connected in either the vertical or horizontal orientation.

6. An antenna housing as in claim 5 further including means forming a pair of drain passages through said mounting plate, one of said drain passages being located at the lower most edge of the plate for the vertical mounting position and the other of said fidrain passages being located at the lower most edge of the plate for the horiiontal mounting position so that a drain is provided for either vertical or horizontal mounting of the antenna housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ELI LIE BERMAN, Primary Examiner M. NUSSBAUM, Assistant Examiner U.S. c1. X.R. 343-472 I 

